A Polkadot launchpad runs token sales (IDOs) for projects in the Polkadot ecosystem, and its contracts can live on several chains. This guide explains where the sale contracts can run in 2026 and how tokens and payments move between chains, and it covers the Polkadot rules that break simple designs and the effort a build takes.
Where a Polkadot launchpad can run
The Polkadot relay chain does not run user smart contracts; it provides shared security and passes messages between the chains connected to it. A launchpad therefore runs its contracts on one of these chains:
- Polkadot Hub. Polkadot Hub is the system chain that grew out of Asset Hub, the chain that held tokens and NFTs issued on Polkadot. In November 2025, DOT balances, staking and governance moved from the relay chain to the Hub, and smart contracts went live there in January 2026. Projects can issue fungible assets on the Hub, and the Hub holds native USDT and USDC.
- EVM parachains. Moonbeam runs an Ethereum-compatible environment for Solidity contracts, and Astar also runs EVM contracts.
- Your own Polkadot SDK chain. A team can build its own chain with the sale logic in a custom module (a "pallet"), and the chain buys blockspace from Polkadot through coretime.
Assets move between these chains through XCM, Polkadot's cross-consensus message format. When a sale ends and the token starts trading, XCM also carries the token to DEX chains such as Hydration.
Smart contracts on Polkadot Hub
Polkadot Hub runs contracts on two virtual machines. REVM runs unmodified Ethereum bytecode, and PVM runs contracts compiled to RISC-V bytecode, which the Polkadot docs describe as suited to heavy computation at lower fees. Contracts on one VM can call contracts on the other.
The Polkadot docs list MetaMask, Hardhat, Foundry, Remix, ethers.js and viem as supported tools. Solidity code compiles for PVM through the resolc compiler, and Rust contracts are possible, though the docs say the Rust tooling is still maturing. Parity, the main engineering company behind Polkadot, called the January 2026 release an initial version that focuses on correctness and reliability.
Contracts on Polkadot Hub reach native assets through precompiles, which are built-in contracts at fixed addresses, and they send assets to other chains through XCM. A launchpad on the Hub can therefore keep the token, the payment stablecoin and the sale contract on one chain.
Architecture options compared
| Option | How it works | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Solidity contracts on Polkadot Hub | Sale, staking and vesting contracts sit on the same chain as DOT, USDT, USDC and the project token | You want the fewest cross-chain steps and can accept a young contract platform |
| Solidity contracts on an EVM parachain | Sale contracts run on Moonbeam or Astar, and users move DOT or stablecoins in through XCM | Your users and liquidity are already on that parachain |
| Custom pallet on your own chain | The sale logic is part of the chain's runtime, and the chain buys coretime | The launchpad is one feature of a larger app-specific chain |
A dedicated chain is rarely justified for a launchpad alone. Before 2024, a chain had to win a parachain slot auction, which teams often funded with a crowdloan. Agile Coretime replaced the auctions, so a chain now buys blockspace in smaller amounts. The team still runs collators, the nodes that build the chain's blocks, plans runtime upgrades and maintains the infrastructure. The Polkadot development guide covers those trade-offs.
The end of ink! contracts on Astar
Earlier Polkadot launchpads sometimes used ink!, a Rust-based language for Wasm contracts. The Astar Foundation has said that ink! was discontinued by its maintainers and that the old contracts pallet is legacy code. Astar opened a migration window and then blocked all calls to Wasm contracts in a 2026 runtime upgrade. New launchpad code should use Solidity on REVM, Solidity or Rust on PVM, or a custom pallet.
Polkastarter and Polkadot
Polkastarter launched in 2020 and carries Polkadot in its name, but its sales now run on nine chains, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum and Base, and Polkadot is not on that list. A project that wants a sale inside the Polkadot ecosystem therefore needs a launchpad that runs on Polkadot Hub or on a parachain.
Polkastarter's allocation model is still a useful reference. Users build "POLS Power" by staking or holding the POLS token, and they need at least 1,000 POLS Power to take part. Higher tiers get better odds in the allow-list lottery, and the top tier gets a guaranteed allocation, while KYC requirements vary by sale and by region.
Launchpad components on Polkadot
- Token issuance. The project creates its token as a native asset on Polkadot Hub, or as an ERC-20 contract on the chain that runs the sale. Moving a token to another chain later means a migration, so this choice comes first.
- Staking tiers. A launchpad with a platform token decides which chain holds the stake and how it takes snapshots. If the stake sits on one chain and the sale runs on another, the snapshot needs careful timing.
- Contributions. Users pay in DOT or stablecoins. If the sale runs on a parachain, users first move funds from Polkadot Hub, and the app should run that transfer as one step in the sale flow.
- Allow-lists and KYC. The launchpad maps each verified identity to an SS58 address or an EVM address. One key can appear as different address formats on different chains, so the mapping must cover each format.
- Vesting and claims. The vesting contract releases tokens on a schedule. If the token lives on Polkadot Hub but the sale runs on a parachain, the team decides whether buyers claim on the Hub or the parachain sends the tokens to them through XCM.
- Listing. The project seeds a pool on a Polkadot DEX. If the launchpad promises a liquidity lock, buyers must be able to check the lock on-chain.
Polkadot-specific pitfalls
- Existential deposit. Each chain sets a minimum balance per account, and an account that falls below it is removed, losing its remaining dust. Small vesting claims and refunds must stay above that minimum.
- Asset registration. A token must be registered on each chain it travels to, with the correct XCM location and decimals, or transfers to that chain fail.
- Fee assets. Users often need the destination chain's native token to pay fees, so the launchpad can sponsor fees or let users pay fees in the asset they hold.
- Wallets. Talisman, SubWallet and Nova support both SS58 and EVM addresses, but users who arrive with only MetaMask may not understand the two formats. The Polkadot wallet guide explains the address types.
- Runtime upgrades. Polkadot chains upgrade their runtimes on-chain through governance, so the team should watch the upgrades of every chain that the sale flow touches.
Testing
Chopsticks forks live Polkadot chains on a local machine, and Zombienet starts a local test network. Both tools let a team replay a full sale, including XCM transfers, before it moves to a public testnet. Tests should cover failure paths, such as a contribution whose XCM message fails halfway.
Build effort and cost drivers
As a reasoned estimate, a launchpad that reuses audited Solidity sale and vesting contracts takes three to five months for three or four engineers, including XCM deposit flows, a web app and an external audit. A launchpad on Polkadot Hub may need fewer cross-chain flows, but the young platform needs more testing of tools and fees. A custom pallet needs auditors with Rust and Polkadot SDK experience, and a dedicated chain is a far larger project.
The crypto launchpad development guide covers sale formats and project vetting, and the IDO launchpad guide for several chains covers sales that reach users outside Polkadot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run an IDO directly on the Polkadot relay chain?
No. The relay chain secures the connected chains and passes messages between them, while user contracts run on Polkadot Hub or on parachains.
Does Polkastarter run on Polkadot?
No. Polkastarter's sales run on nine chains, including Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum and Base, and Polkadot is not one of them.
Should a Polkadot launchpad use REVM or PVM?
REVM runs unmodified Ethereum bytecode, so existing audited Solidity contracts and tools work as they are. PVM offers lower fees for heavy computation but uses a different compiler, so audited EVM code needs fresh review.
Do I need my own parachain for a launchpad?
Almost never. A dedicated chain makes sense only when the project needs custom runtime logic that contracts cannot provide.
Can I test on Kusama first?
Yes, but Kusama is a live network with real value, not a testnet, and some teams launch there first to move faster. The Kusama guide compares the two networks.